Vikram frowned when he saw his wife in her formals when he came back home.
“Are you going somewhere?”
Keerthi was startled,”Hi”, she gave her husband a kiss.
“Hi.”
“Yeah. Going to Mom’s.”
“Oh. Want me to drop?”
“Nah. I’ll drive myself.”
“But-”
“I’m fine Vikram. My injuries are completely healed.”
“Alright”, Vikram pulled his wife to him, kissing her neck.
“Return quickly? I’ve missed you”, Vikram cupped his wife’s breast.
Keerthi pressed her lips thin,”I plan to stay there for a week or so.”
“Oh. Any particular reason?”
“We are shifting next week. So want to spend some time”, Keerthi shrugged, hoping her husband understood.
“Cool”, Vikram shrugged,”I’ll drop you in that case.”
Keerthi stared at her husband. He agreed so easily? Wow.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Just”, Keerthi shrugged,”You are so different”, she hugged her husband.
“Okay? Is something wrong?”
Keerthi shook her head,”Didn’t expect you to agree so easily.”
“Why should I agree even? You are going to your parents’ place. You don’t have to ask me to go there. Just keep me informed.”
“I love you.”
“Let’s go.”
“I could have gone by myself if you are busy”, Keerthi mumbled, fiddling with the seat belt, her husband got back to back calls in the car.
“It’s fine. I’ll just drop you and go home anyway. I’ll do my work then.”
“Okay”, Keerthi mumbled.
“Keerthi”, Vikram sighed,”I’m not feeling obliged to drop you or anything. I’m only dropping you so we could spend some time in the car, since we won’t be spending time together in the next week. Stop thinking that you are coming in between my work.”
“Okay”, Keerthi shrugged,”I know you’ll miss me”, she teased.
Vikram raised an eyebrow, smiling.
“Have dinner and leave, Vikram”, Amritha offered her son in law when he was about to leave, after he dropped Keerthi.
Vikram was troubled. He had work. But he didn’t want to disrespect his mother in law by denying her.
“Ma, Vikram has some work. Let it be.”
Amritha glared at her daughter, shushing her,”You can leave after dinner, beta.”
“Okay Mom”, Vikram smiled.
Keerthi was surprised when her husband agreed. She was glad. He usually got snappy when he was busy.
“Thanks”, she whispered.
“For what?”
“For dinner?”
“Keerthi, you are seriously pissing me off.”
Keerthi was startled,”What have I done?”
“The fact that you have to thank me that I agreed to stay back for dinner is ridiculous. You live with my parents. And have meals with them everyday. Do you see me thanking you each time? I can surely delay my work if it makes Mom happy.”
“Sorry. It’s just… Guys usually are uncomfortable in this aspect. So.”
“I understand what you are trying to say. But genuinely, I owe them at least that much respect. I am not even so busy that I can’t delay my work for an hour or two.”
“I love you.”
“I love you too. But don’t bring up this nonsense once again. Your parents, my parents, doesn’t really matter. Everyone’s the same. Okay?”
“Okay fine”, Keerthi rolled her eyes.
“Bye Mom”, Vikram greeted his mother in law when he was about to leave.
Amritha smiled, nodding her head, as she watched her daughter walk outside to send her husband off.
“Don’t ride your bike when you go for work. Call a cab or something”, Vikram said.
“How romantic”, Keerthi said blankly,”I thought you’ll say something like ‘I’ll drop you’ .”
“Yeah. I’ll reach office by noon then”, Vikram raised a brow.
“That’s why I said I’ll drive myself. You’ll take the car with you now. How am I going to travel now?”
“There’s always cab facility. We don’t live in a jingle.”
“I like my car better”, Keerthi shrugged.
Vikram sighed.
“It’s fine. I’ll take a cab.”
“Don’t use your bike.”
“Vikram”, Keerthi whined.
“I am serious”, Vikram gave his wife a sharp look.
“Okay fine. Why get angry”, Keerthi mumbled.
“I’ll ask the driver to drop your car by tomorrow morning.”
“Okay.”
“You can drive, right?”
“I literally only have scratches, I’m not disabled.”
Vikram gave his wife a sharp look, irritated with her statement,”You don’t have to be disabled to not be able to drive.”
Keerthi was tempted to pass a remark, but she kept her tongue in check. She knew it would only piss both of them off further if they argued. They wouldn’t anyway see each other the most of the coming week, so she didn’t see the reason to leave a bad note in the air when they were going to be apart.
“I know. Just saying.”
Vikram sighed again, his vibrating phone irritating him.
“Get inside.”
“I’ll wait until you leave.”
Vikram brought his wife’s mouth to his, giving her a long kiss.
“Bye.”
“I’ll miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too”, Vikram whispered against his wife’s lips, pulling her into another kiss before he left.